Breastfeeding and Depression medication

[BingisaweeArse]

I'm struggling with my mh, I'm a year postpartum and still breastfeeding.

I'm not sad or anxious I am raging!!! I just want to tear down everything and everyone pretty much 90% of the time. I don't take this out on my children but I do feel absolutely exhausted and shouty.

I'm not ready to stop feeding my baby it's one of the very few times I feel happy and content. I do think I need to go to the drs and discuss this anger and probably need meds to help me get out of this rut. I want to know what is safe as Iv found a lot of the times gps don't actually know what is ok to take whilst feeding and don't want to waste my time.

Help I don't feel normal and feel like the worst mum because I'm constantly trying to contain my anger and stop from acting out.

I have no family or support. My husband is aspergers so utterly useless especially on the emotional front.

Would you feel happier talking to a pharmacist before the GP and letting them know that you want advice first? They tend to be better placed to know the side effects and you can discuss what they say at your doctors appointment. Non-medical options like CBT might also be worth looking into. You can self-refer in my area, I’m not sure if that’s standard everywhere.

Definitely see your gp as it could be pnd, get their advice.
My friend is breastfeeding her newish baby & she loves it so I understand why you want to continue.

The pharmacist is a good shout I will try them first. Also look into cbt thing if I can self refer I can get the ball rolling.

I know it's such a crappy experience for most but it's been a nice journey for me. I'm not successful at much else.

I didn’t think to check if you were in England first. The link is here if you are:
beta.nhs.uk/find-a-psychological-therapies-service/

I’m also very prone to depression and anxiety a lot of the time but found the breastfeeding/newborn period really nice personally. You’re not alone in that. It’s a really good thing that you can enjoy it.

Search for drugs in breastfeeding there's a network that offers support

There are certainly antidepressants you can take while breastfeeding, and as mentioned above, the Drugs in Breastmilk website will have info. Your GP should be able to read up about this themselves if they don't already know. If they have mindfulness courses in your area I would highly recommend it, as a lifelong depressive I wish I had done it years ago. You aren't on your own with this OP, and it won't always be this way. Take care

I know it's hard to imagine it as PND as I have really enjoyed being a mum and connected with my two little ones and most of the time it's not what sufferers say they feel at all. The anger is terrifying it's proper "hulk smash" I feel like a monster. I direct it a lot at my husband because he is so very poor at domestic and emotional stuff so I'm often the most frustrated by him but I'm so argumentative with others. It's weird as before my children 3.5 years ago I was so placid I mean doormat. Please tell me I'm not alone in the crazy rage thing.

I have had nothing but abusive relationships all my life so I do think I'm just manifesting it all now as that but still I need to deal with it all better.

Thank you for the link.

I will search the network. I have found my gp to be a bit rubbish on that front you mention you are breast feeding and they are a bit like oh well then off you go . I get a lot of stomach and endo issues that I'm kind of just self managing at the mo. They were the same with my HG throughout pregnancy.

I had Sertraline whilst breastfeeding. Did the job.

I am on amitriptyline and am exclusively breastfeeding. Apparently it does not get into breastmilk. It's really helped me. I first got prescribed it when my son was born for pnd and I had it prescribed straight away from the birth of my daughter and it's actually made the experience of having her so much easier. I wish I'd gone on it earlier when I had my son... but it's hard to realise how depressed you are when you are in the middle of it! It's only now I'm so much better that I realise how bad I was.

Pnd can definitely ma ifest itself as anger. I had that a lot. I hope you start to feel better soon

I have been taking Sertraline and Propranolol before/during pregnancy and continue to take it whilst exclusively breastfeeding. It does not transfer through milk I have been told, and my daughter seems fine. I think alot of docs will look at whether the benefits of ad outweigh the risks. There are always risks but usually very small.

Talk to your GP. You can look at the Breastfeeding Network drugs factsheets before you go. Sertraline is widely used in breastfeeding mums. Your doctor will be able to advise further. Good luck.

Antidepressants by their nature cross the blood brain barrier so can affect the child’s brain development.
It is obviously tricky to do human studies but there is evidence that antidepressant intake during pregnancy can affect behaviours later in life (eg anxiety). As for breastfeeding you need to find out if any goes into the milk. But you need to take a fully informed decision.

The effect of antidepressants through the placenta on a foetus is entirely different than that through milk on a 1 year old. My psychiatrist was more than happy for me to be on sertraline immediately post partum. Definitely worth speaking to your GP. Hope things get better soon x

You are all very likely right at pnd as it started just before I had my first. My mh slipped badly due to a really horrible pregnancy and although as I say my wee one was truly bliss to be around everything else was/is crap. When it's quiet and I'm in my own thoughts I'm sad like gut wrenchingly overwhelming sad and empty. Can you even be both of those at the same time.

Christ what a pity party I'm running.

Thanks so much for the info and of course I worry about what may pass through the milk but I don't think random outbursts of anger at insignificant things is healthy for their development either or the fact that I feel like I'm scraping the barrel of my energy levels continuously so I will discuss it with the pharmacist, dr and local mh services so that I am making an informed choice and giving my boys a mummy they deserve..